Tag: Accessories

I said in a previous face mask post that I needed to fix some details in the DIY Cloth Face Mask pattern.

First, the gussets needed to have, for certain, the raw edges covered. After adding the nose pieces, I did one fold and sewed the raw edge closed.

This adds an extra layer of fabric, which is a challenge later, but with the covering of the longer main mask panel (you can see it sticking out past the 12 on my mat), I think it will keep the raw edges from unraveling.

I could have sewed the raw edges closed before adding the nose piece, but I didn’t. Feel free to do it that way.

In my post the other day, I mentioned using elastic. My elastic goes all the way around the back of my head as opposed to just over the ears as the video shows. With glasses and headphones, I have too much stuff on my ears already to add a mask to the poor overburdened body part.

I am not sure this is the best way to add elastic across the back. The folded over edges stick out a little so the look isn’t sleek.

Once the raw edges of the gussets were secured, I fold over  the edges of the main mask panel and tucked the elastic inside. Then I sewed in a rectangle, going over the stitching closest to the middle of the mask twice.

I add the nose piece to the pattern by aligning the middle of the nose piece with the mark on the fabric, then surrounding the nose piece with pins, so I know where it is. I sew around it, removing the pins as I go and being careful not to sew over them or the nose piece.

The top arrow shows where the  nose piece is.

The bottom arrow shows the two strands of elastic. I measured them at 10 inches for my head. Of course, you can adjust them to your needs.

I don’t know when I will have the opportunity to wear this mask out. When I do, I will report back.

 

The guild had Virtual Sew  Day on Saturday. There were 9-10 people at any one time, which seemed  like a good number. After I put some rectangles on the design wall (empty after taking FOTY 2018 to the longarmer), I worked on masks.

I am still using the DIY Cloth Face Mask video pattern and I am getting more familiar and more confident with it. After wearing the mask I made with this pattern and a cord lock for several hours on Friday, I decided to make another mask using this pattern with elastic instead of a cord lock.

This pattern works very well with my glasses. I added a nose piece, thanks to Friend Julie and her husband for keeping me supplied! With the nose piece well adjusted, I get very little, if any fogging. Allergies are torturing me, though, so I sneezed a few times while wearing the mask which reminded me why I need multiple masks.

Also, the cord lock and cording works well if I am wearing a ponytail. I can hook the top cord over my ponytail and then tighten the cord lock behind my neck. Getting the mask tight helps with preventing fogging. The problem is that I was wearing my hair down and by the time I got home I think large chucks of hair were embedded in the cord lock. 🙁

My new mask, which is the exact same pattern as the red dot mask, has elastic instead of a cord lock. It fits well and the nose piece fits tightly around my nose. The real test will be when I wear it out.

The elastic is slightly better for this test on the couch, but I can tell any kind of mask wearing is better with my hair up. I think a hairdresser/stylist who designs a hair cut for mask wearing will be a genius.

DH has his collection and didn’t want anymore for the moment. I will make him one to wear with his tuxedo, assuming we ever get to dress up again, but I am going to wait until I get the pattern exactly right.

I made four masks. I experimented with fussy cutting and was pretty successful on the mask main panel. I wasn’t as successful with  the gussets, but I can do better next time.

One is for the YM, because it makes me feel better to make him masks. The other two are gifts as well.

I feel like I made progress on a face mask I can make quickly that will work with my/DH’s/ YM’s glasses. The original pattern for this one came from the video tutorial I talked about before. I like this pattern because of the shape and the ease of making it. I tweaked the pattern to make it work better for us.

Some of the changes I made:

I added a nose piece. Julie sent me some nose pieces, which work really well. Since they help keep our glasses from fogging up, I have been adding them to masks I make.

I made the top and bottom gussets (not sure if that piece is a gusset or not) longer to try and ensure that the raw edges were covered. That is something that didn’t work as well as I had hoped. All the pieces were too thick and hard to sew through when I went to make the channels.

I used stretchy cord from Maker’s Mercantile and a cordlock. This allows me to really pull the  mask tight around my face. The bad part is that I was wearing my hair down and the cordlock got caught in my hair. 🙁 I think it would work ok while wearing a ponytail. I don’t, however, want to have to always wear a ponytail.

It is still not ideal, but the good points are:

• doesn’t fog up my glasses as much
• I can pull it tight because of the cordlock
• relatively quick to make
• The good part of the stretchy cord/cordlock combo was that it didn’t add more stuff to my ears. I went out to drop off a gift wearing this mask and wearing glasses, headphones and elastic on my ears is too much.

Points on which to work

• encasing raw edges  – I think I will keep the gussets the original size from the pattern and sew the raw edges closed.
• try adding elastic around the back instead of stretchy cord
• The channels were to small to insert the cord. I used the Purple Thang, which worked pretty well, though it kept getting stuck on a seam, I think, inside the channel. Inserting the cord was not a smooth process. Deirdre talked about using a stainless steel straw to keep the channel open. I don’t have one of those, but my get one and try it.

This is not the same pattern that I used before, but I did use the same fabric. It is double gauze and I thought it would be comfy.

I haven’t given up on other patterns, especially the one my friend Deirdre sent me. I will try that one with a nose piece and elastic around the back to see if that works for me.

DH got some masks in the mail from my mom. He now has quite the collection! She uses different patterns than I have used, but she has also made a lot more.

I am still experimenting, as I have said, so I try and pick fabrics that he will wear, but may not be fabrics that he will wear to work. That will come when I find the pattern and style that works for us. My mom made him a black one that he can wear with his tuxedo. Of course, I have no idea if we will ever attend a black tie event again.

I finally had some success with face masks over the weekend. This has been an ongoing problem for me. Not because we don’t have masks, but because I feel bad that I haven’t been successful.

I think I needed to find the right pattern. This one seems like it might work for me.

The pattern I used is a video pattern and was recommended by a quilting friend. She has the same glasses problem that we have. While I still have some things I want to adjust, this is the most successful I have been with masks so far.

One thing I need to play with is the edges where the elastic attaches. I am not convinced the raw edges are sufficiently closed. I played around with different ways of dealing with them and still have not found the best method.

The one above with the purple plaid on the top has a nose piece in it. I was annoying DH with trying on masks (they are for him after all) and he wanted to play around with the nose piece before he pronounced judgment.

Thanks to Friend Julie for the nose pieces.

I am still flailing away at face masks. Deirdre has made tons and she sent me a pattern that I tried over the weekend. Even with curves (which don’t’ scare me), this mask came out a lot better. It still isn’t ideal as I didn’t have anything to put in it as a nose-shaper, but it was easier to sew and came out a lot better.

As usual, cutting out took the longest. I didn’t buy the rotary templates as I don’t plan on making enough to make it worthwhile. Also, D reported problems going around the template with a rotary cutter. I pinned the pattern to the fabric and used scissors, which worked fine. I might trace another pattern with tracing paper, but regular printer paper worked well for now.

DH is working on a nose shaper for us and Friend Julie will send me a few of what she is using. I want to make a few masks, especially for the YM. He takes the bus every day and works packing orders. I would be a lot happier if he had a bunch of masks to use. SIL #2 made him several, which are tiding him over.

I am really still trying to figure out a pattern that works well for us (me) and how to make it. I have high hopes for this pattern.

Push came to shove this past weekend. I couldn’t put off making masks any longer. I had a dentist appointment in the City. The City requires that N95 masks be covered, if you wear that kind of mask. That is the mask I have been wearing on the few occasions I go out. They have to be covered since your breath goes out the filter (meaning I could breath on someone). Thus, I had to have something else. DH’s mask is more like one you would wear so you don’t breath in dust and it is getting a little worn, so I had to make two.

Before I did any other sewing I got down to business. I had printed out a new pattern from Madeeveryday.com. It was laying on my desk and looked easy enough, so I went for it. Except for the bottom elastic length, these came out pretty well. They are not excellent, but better than my first effort.

I made DH’s mask first. He has been great at trying masks on and providing kind feedback.

After making his, I decided to use a 1/4 inch seam allowance instead of half as suggested on the pattern. I also rounded the corners of mine using a 2.5 inch rotary cutting circle. I think I need a new blade for my small rotary cutter, because it did not roll as smoothly as my regular rotary cutter. Still, I added the rounded corners so I could just zoom around the whole thing without having to deal with corners. Also, I thought it would reduce bulk. I might cut little darts in the seam allowance of the curves on the next one.

At least we are set for this week. I promised my ‘mature’ neighbor a mask, so I’ll make one for her this week.

I might have to create a blog hashtag for face masks, but for now, I am filing these posts under accessories. I have a feeling we may be making face masks to match our outfits in the not too distant future. I also think gloves will come back into fashion.

I finally made a face mask.

I am ashamed to say that I have only been encouraging/enabling others to make masks. One thing I did was post a list of face mask patterns. This is the first one I have made. I don’t know why I haven’t been able to get it done. I have planned to, but this is the first one.

I used the Fat Quarter Shop pattern and didn’t like it. The mask came out terribly. It is too small lengthwise and too long width-wise. I think it will fit someone; it just doesn’t fit us.

Mary sent me elastic and I am determined not to waste it. I am going to try another one; I just haven’t done it yet.